Got It Down
by Lou2U
Summary: He's got it down. Well, James Potter has a lot of things down, he's James Potter. But what he's most proud of at the moment is The Stare. The Stare that says oh-yes-I-am-listening-Professor-honestly. When in reality what he's actually doing is straining as hard as he can to hear the whispered conversations of a certain redhead sat behind him.


**Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter. I wish I did, because I'd never shut up about it, but (as Dumbeldore says), alas. It's not mine.**

**This is set either fourth year or early fifth, I can't decide. Before the Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL, at any rate.**

He's got it _down_. Well, James Potter has a lot of things _down_, he's _James Potter_, but what he's most proud of at the moment is the stare. The stare that says _oh-yes-I-am-listening-Professor-honestly_. When in reality what he's actually doing is straining as hard as he can to hear the whispered conversations behind him. It's not bloody fair that they get away with it when he can barely blink without a professor swooping down on his head but sometimes, just sometimes, he doesn't mind too much.

"Lily, what do you think of using the knife to crush the beans instead of slicing them? Because you'd get much more juice out of them."

"That's actually a really good idea, Sev, we should try it!"

And of course, sometimes James really, really does.

He can't comprehend what Lily sees in him, James really can't. How is it she can be so blind to what Snivellus is? Last weekend, him and his Death Eater mates tried to set on Sirius, something that still makes him see red and clench his fists to stop him grabbing his wand and transfiguring Snape into the bat he is.

"Potter!" McGonagall's sharp voice makes him jump. "Pay attention!"

There's quiet sniggering behind him and James picks up his quill, stabbing it viciously at the parchment.

It doesn't stop him from glancing over that afternoon, when they're all in Potions. Evans isn't sat with Snivellus, but on the table next to him, and he keeps turning to talk to her. James picks up his knife, hesitates, and then crushes the bean. It collapses immediately, much to his disgust. Sirius, sat opposite, taps his own knife on the table twice to get James' attention. He looks just in time to see Sirius and point his wand carefully at Snivellius' back. They smirk at each other as Snape shouts out in pain, tentacles sprouting from every spot on his greasy face. His heart feels lighter, until he glances over again, only to meet the full glare of Evans. The smile slides straight off James' face.

She corners him afterwards – of course she does, she's too damn loyal to not – and furiously demands an explanation. Her red hair is swinging, gorgeous green eyes sparkling with anger, and it's all James can do to concentrate on what she's saying. The only thing he can come up with, feebly, is "It wasn't me."

"You or Black, I don't care. I saw you two laughing, you were both in on it! How dare you!" She rages at him, wand out now. He would take a step back, but he's already right up against a wall.

"Evans, Evans – I didn't know he was going to do it, I swear!"

Unfortunately this gets lost because Sirius, helpful as ever, decides to step in loudly with "So have you been staring at our Prongs, then?" A few people who've gathered to watch laugh and Evans turns on Sirius with such venom that he does take a step back. "You both make me sick." She spits.

"Evans, you do know who Snivellus is? You do know who his friends are? People who wouldn't hesitate to string you up and torture you for fun!"

"Don't you dare call him that Black. He's better than you – or you" – and with this she rounds back on James – "will ever be!". And with that she turns and stalks away in the direction of the hospital wing.

There's more laughter from the crowd and chatter as they disperse. Something in James has deflated, and he knows it must show because Peter says hastily, "Come on Prongs, why don't we go to the kitchens? You can get some treacle tart!"

"Yeah. Yeah, fine," James says, refusing to look at him. He can sense Sirius and Remus sharing a look behind him as they walk but he refuses to give them the satisfaction. He's clenching his fists again, but this time it's not anger he's holding in.

Sirius falls into step beside him. "Sorry, mate," he says, trying to be casual. "But, y'know, if she's going to be that stupid, then let her, yeah?"

She's not stupid though. That's the whole damn problem. She's blind to Snape, and loyal to a fault, but there's no way anyone could call her stupid. She's the cleverest person James has ever met, along with the most beautiful. And she despises him. He's not used to that – he's always been liked by the people he wants to be liked by. But not Evans. Even Snape's better than him?

A prickle of anger runs through him, and it makes him feel slightly better. Slightly more with it, anyway, not as in danger of crying. That's something he's not done in public since he was seven and he dived too enthusiastically to catch the makeshift Quaffle his father threw for him. It hit him square in the face. That's sort of how he felt after Evans yelled at him, like he'd been punched in the nose, and in the stomach, and quite a few other places, now he comes to think about it.

No. The anger is better. He thinks again about Snivellus sprouting and he can feel a cruel smile appear on his face.

"So," he says, turning to face his friends, "who are we trying that jinx out on next? I thought Avery could do with it…"

Sirius smirks, clearly pleased his partner in crime has returned. "Or Mulciber. It would improve his looks."

"Avery definitely deserves it!" Peter jumps in, determined not to be outdone.

Remus sighs. "Haven't you all had enough for today? We've got a foot long essay to do for Transfiguration and another one for Potions. I need to get them done."

Sirius dismisses him, "It won't take long. Will it Prongs?"

James has started eating his treacle tart, and it makes him feel better already. He pushes down the memory of Evans and says "Not long at all. We'll have you to your essays before you can blink, Moony."

"Well, that's clearly not true," Remus says, but he's not arguing any more.

"Okay, then, let's go." Sirius nods at James, and James nods back.

After all, he's got it _down_.

**Author's note – just a little fiction. James and the others being not-so-nice isn't something I tend to write about, but I had a little plot bunny and it would not go away.**

**Leave a review? They make me happy (and thank you in advance!)**


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